CHAPTER XIV 



THE ENGLISH FEATHER MARKET. 



We have considered in the last chapter the prepar- 

 ing of the feathers for the Colonial market. But the 

 farmer who would be thoroughly successful should use 

 every endeavour to know as much as possible of tlie 

 home markets and the final retail market, where the 

 goods pass from the shopkeeper to the wearer. Since 

 our arrival in England we have made it our special 

 work to acquaint ourselves with all these, by attending 

 the public sales, and by becoming acquainted with some 

 of the largest shopkeepers who dress and dye the feathers, 

 and keep shops for the sale of these articles only. 



As most of my Cape readers are aware, the greater 

 part of the Cape feathers are bought up and exported 

 by a ver}^ few men, and of these by far the largest 

 buyers are the resident representatives of the few 

 great English manufacturers ; where the ordinary 

 merchant has tried exporting feathers it has generally 

 resulted in a loss. The reason has generally been con- 

 sidered a mystery, but there is no mystery about it. 

 These men have enormous connections in many parts 



